were when you first stepped into their office. If this is the case, you have to be willing to move on. There can be a blurry line between offering perspec- tive and being taken advantage of, says DeVries. If you’ve been working a client for a long time – and the client has been working you – there must be a need for your product or service. “It’s your job to bring out that need,” DeVries says. If you’re wondering if you’re ever going to get the order, it may be time to sit customers down and let them
know that the freebies are at an end. “To maintain a rela- tionship, there’s a give and take,” says Anderson. “All too often, sales guys are afraid to fire a customer, and the real- ity is, sometimes you have to do that. The guys who get it
done...they’re not afraid to have that tough conversation.” When it comes down to it, according to DeVries, there are
no real tricks, shortcuts, or gimmicks. “In the end, do a good job, sell a good product, do what you say you’re going to do, and develop relationships along the way,” he says.
Sales Strategies for Major Accounts JOE WHITE
Major account sales involve many sales calls, spread over many months. They require a systematic selling process of one part strategy and one part tactics. Strat- egy includes identifying, surfacing, and addressing every element of a large account. In essence, you must • Emphasize strategic planning as you uncover key information.
• Present solutions to key players on the buyer’s team. • Obtain gradual commitment that will ultimately lead to a win-win solution.
• Join in strategic planning with sales management and such internal resource departments as engineer- ing, maintenance, and product specialists.
TACTICS
Use a well-thought-out questioning process and empha- size your company’s unique strengths. A systematic sales process creates a common focus, a common language, and a common sales culture. It uncovers potential prob- lems in the account and missing pieces of information, tells you what has to be done next, and lets you know where you are and how you are positioned throughout your sales cycle.
INCREMENTAL CUSTOMER COMMITMENTS Large account sales require incremental customer com- mitments at each step of the selling cycle. By definition, a large sale is a big investment on both sides. Both the salesperson and the buyer face significant investments of time, money, and resources as the buy-sell interaction moves toward a final decision. A sales professional must obtain an incremental ac- tion commitment from the buyer equal to the increase in resources the salesperson’s organization is making in its selling process. As investments in the sales process increase, so should investments in the buying process. The salesperson has the ultimate responsibility to
create this win/win solution with clear-cut incremental buying action commitments. A selling organization’s lim- ited resources must be protected and must be invested wisely if win-win selling is to become a reality.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF ACCOUNT
KNOWLEDGE Large account selling requires a focus on building blocks of account knowledge-specific information, market trends, business, and organizational issues. The sales- person must completely identify his prospect’s internal decision-making process, including the number of play- ers and their precise organizational roles, responsibili- ties, and individual focus. The prospect’s team usually has many players. Howev-
er, often one person plays a powerful behind-the-scenes role in the final decision. Study and analyze internal poli- tics, alliances, and relationships; budgetary information; and the potential organizational and profitability impact of your sales proposal.
QUALIFY AND TEAM-SELL Large account sales require concise identification of highly qualified prospects. A sales organization will pay a high price in wasted resources, selling time, and dollars spent in the pursuit of a large account prospect if it turns out the prospect did not want to buy in the first place. Avoid this situation by systematically identifying highly qualified prospects. Establish a profile to describe your ideal customer; then, pursue only prospects who come close to that profile. Large accounts require a cooperative team sell. Mul- tiple players from the selling organization mean more eyes, varied experience and expertise, and common focus with a common language. The more effective and systematic the use of team resources, the higher the probability of sales success.
SELLING POWER SEPTEMBER 2016 | 37 © 2016 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
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